Quill tensioning means



Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED STTES Warner Corporation, tion of Illinois Chicago, 111., a corpora- Application November 7, 1938, Serial No. 239,232

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a tensioning device for a quill arranged to feed the warp wire in a wire fabric weaving machine and has particular In a weaving machine of the above type wherein the quill functions both to feed the warp wire and to move the same relative to the median plane of the cloth for the purpose of forming the requisite shed, the resistanceto the passage of the warp wire along the quill must be controlled to a relatively fine degree if a satisfactory operation is to be accomplished. This is particularly true where the quill must produce an interlocking twist between pairs of warp wires since these ties must be made of consistent firmness if the cloth is to be symmetrical in appearance and if it is to satisfy the rigid specifications required of this type of cloth.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement for applying a predetermined refined degree of resistance to the passage of warp wire along a quill which supplies warp wire to the weaving mechanism of a wire fabric weaving machine.

It is a further object to provide an arrangement for applying a predetermined refined degree of resistance to the passage of a pair of substantially diametrically opposed warp wires along the respective quills of a row of rotatable quillsthat supply warp wire to the weaving mechanism of a 5" between successive laterally injected'filler wires of elongated cross-section positioned in the fabric with the major surfaces thereof disposed at a angle to the plane of the fabric.

A more particular object is the provision in 50' combination with the above of means for applying predetermined pull-away force to the fabric as the same is drawn from the weaving machine.

The more specific objects and results of my invention will be made apparent from a reading of the following detailed specification taken together with the appended drawing forming a part thereof and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a broken away vertical section of the essential partsof a weaving head assemblyincorporating my novel tensioning device;

Fig. 2 is a broken away plan view corresponding to Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an end elevation insection taken substantially on line 33 of Fig.1 and showing to advantage the novel manner in which the tensioning 10.

means cooperates with the warp wire and guide therefor formed in the quill.

The essential parts of one form of weaving machine with which my novel tensioning device is particularly adapted to cooperate is shown 15 I as composed of a comb assemblyindicated generally at Ii] guidably receiving and holding fiat filler wire I I with the major surface thereof at an angle to the plane of the fabric, while pairs of warp wires l2 are embracingly fed thereabout and twisted to define interlocking twists I3 between successive filler wires II by meansof rotatable quills i4 cooperating with' the comb assembly. The comb assembly l0 includes a plurality of teeth I5 vertically reciprocable on the forward face of a backplate I6 from a position wherein the teeth I5 extend between adjacent pairs of warp wires and separate a previously tied in filler wire I I from a subsequently injected filler wire I I to be tied in by the rotation of the quills Id of which there are a plurality, one corresponding to each pair of warp wires. The backplate IE is formed with a plurality'of vertical slots Il corresponding in position to the spaces between the teeth 55 for the passage of the warp wires therethrough. The vertical slots I! in the backplate iii are diverged to formvertical channels I8 for the reception of the wedge-shaped noses Iii of the additional means for operating rack 23, however, 50.

for purpose of simplicity, this mechanism is not shown since it is not deemed necessary to the complete disclosure of the present invention and further since the same is amply disclosed and I claimed in the above referred to applications.

iii)

Warp wire tensiom'ng device The quills M are formed with channel guides 25 substantially diametrically opposed to each other extending from the rear end to the forward nose thereof. Adjacent the rear end of the quill, the portion 26 of the guide 25 is reduced in depth to less than the diameter of the round warp wire HE. A coil 21 of spring steel wire is embracingly received about the rearend portion of the quill in contact with the warp wires I2 above the shallow portion 26 of the guide 25. The coil 21 is made of such strength that the same contracts about the warp wires 12 to produce the desired refinement of resistanceto the passage of wires I2 along the quills I4. This pressure is capable of being predetermined to a very high degree of refinementby varying the normal contracted diameter of the coil employed; by varying the strength of the wire employed; as well as by varying the number of turns forming the coil. In view of the fact that the coil 21 surrounds the end of the quill, there is no danger of the tension being varied by the, tensioning means slipping and changing its relation to the warp wires l2. Any movement that does take place will be in the direction of the enlarged portion of the quill and this will have no afiect upon the tension.

I have found that my tensioning device works to particular advantage when employed in connection with the additional provision of adjustable weight 29 for applying a predetermined pull away force to the fabric as it leaves the weaving head and is wound up upon reel 29a. Other means such for example-as a torque motor may be employed to equal advantage for this purpose.

While the machine disclosed in the above referred to copending applications is new, I have found that a tension of one pound in each of the coil springs 21 and a constant pull-away force of seventy pounds applied to the cloth as it comes off of the machine produces the most satisfactory results. It is apparent of course that these values may require change during the life of the machine. The tension exerted by the coil 21 may be readily reduced by cutting off a portion thereof or other springs having the requisite characteristics may be substituted therefor.

In the operation of weaving, assuming the parts to be positioned as shown in the drawing, a flat filler'wire l I having been injected into the guideway defined by the channel in the backplate 86 and the comb teeth I5, the first step is the shifting forward of the comb assembly a small distance indicated by the arrow 30 in order to permit of the rotation of the noses I!) of quills M in channel I8. Next the quills M are rotated 360 by means of rack 23 to produce an interlocking twist l3 on the backside of filler wire H, thereby tying the same in place in the fabric. Following this integrating tie operation, the comb assembly is shifted forward a still further distance indicated by the arrow 3! for the purpose of advancing the fabric and at the same time, comb teeth G are lowered as indicated by arrow 32 and next the assembly is shifted backward to the original position and the comb teeth 15 again raised to a position behind the tied in filler wire preparatory to the injection of a subsequent filler wire H likewise to be tied in by a repetition of the above described sequence of operation. It is important to note that the forward movement of the comb assembly indicated by the arrow 3| is effective to draw the shedforming portions l2a of the warp wires l2 away from the nose of the quills without appreciably deforming or straightening the elbow portion lZb thereof. This is one of the important results flowing from my novel arrangement of tensioning means. The result of this operation is to provide a sufiicient size and shape of shed to permit of the introduction of the elongated filler wires H with the major surfaces thereof disposed at an angle to the plane of the fabric, while at the same time the refined resistance to the. passage of warp wires I 2 along the quill I4 is such that when the quill I4 is rotated, a firm and consistent interlocking twist I3 is effected. This opbe construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.

By way of example of other equivalent formscontemplated by my invention, I may employ a spring steel band in place of the spring steel wire shown in the'drawing.

I claim:

' 1. In a metal fabric weaving machine wherein a quill is employed to feed a warp strand, the improvement which comprises said quill being formed with a generally coaxially extending guideway therein for said warp strand, and resilient means carried by said quill effective to place said warp strand under a predetermined tension, said resilient means comprising a coiled spring steel member embracing said quill in contact with said warp strand and urging the same against said guideway with a predetermined pressure.

2. In a wire fabric weaving machine wherein a quill is employed to feed a warp strand, the improvement which comprises said quill being formed with a substantially coaxially extending guideway therein for said warp strand, said guideway being sufficiently shallow soas not to completely receive said warp wire therein, and resilient means carried by said quill effectiveto place said warp strand under a predetermined tension, said resilient means comprising a coiled:

spring steel member of at least one turn embracing said quill in contact with said warp strand and urging the same against said guide way with a predetermined pressure.

3. In a metal fabric weaving machine wherein quills are employedto feed warp strands, the

. improvement which comprises said quills being formed with guideways therein for saidwarp strands, resilient means carried by said quills in.

contact with said warp wires effective to urge the same against said guides for placing the same under a predetermined tension, said resilient means comprising a coil of spring steel wire embracing said quil1..

i. In a metal fabric weaving machine wherein quills are employed to feed warp strands, the

in contact with said warp wire efiective to urge the same against said guideways for placing the same under a predetermined tension, said resilient means comprising a coil-of several turns of resilient steel wire embracingly received about said quill in contact with said warp wire.

5. In a wire fabric weaving machine wherein quills are employed to feed a pair of warp wires about a filler wire and rotatabe to produce an interlocking twist between the wires of said pair for locking said filler wire into place, said quills being formed with a pair of substantially diametrically opposed coaxial guideways along said quill for said warp wires and means for applying a predetermined resistance to the passage of said warp wires along said guideways, said means comprising forming a portion of each of said guides of a depth less than the diameter of said warp wires, a coil of a predetermined number of turns of spring steel Wire embracing said quills in contact with said warp wires in the area of said shallow portions of said guides whereby the contraction of said coil of wire is effective to force said warp wires against said shallow guides with a predetermined pressure resulting in the production of a firm interlocking twist between said pairs of warp wires when said quill is rotated but permitting of the drawing of said warp wires along said guides when said cloth is advanced through said weaving head, and means for applying a predetermined pull-away force to said fabric for facilitating the movement thereof away from said weaving head.

6. In a wire fabric weaving machine wherein a row of rotatable quills is employed to feed a plurality of pairs of warp wires about a filler wire of elongated cross-section positioned with the major surfaces thereof at an angle to the plane of the fabric and wherein said quills are rotatable to produce an interlocking twist between the respective wires of each pair of warp wires for locking said filler wire into place and for defining a shed for the subsequent injection of an additional filler wire, said quills being the diameter of said warp wires, a coil of a predetermined number of turns of spring steel wire embracing said quills in contact with said warp wires in the area of said shallow portions of guides whereby the contraction of said coil of wire is effective to force said warp wires against said shallow guides with predetermined pressure resulting in the production of a firm interlocking twist between said pairs of warp wires when said quill is rotated by permitting of the drawing of said warp wires from said guides in response to the forward movement of the cloth without appreciably changing the shape of the shed defining portion of said warp wires prior to the rtation of the quill, and means for applying a predetermined pull-away force to said fabric for facilitating the movement thereof away from said weaving machine.

pairs of warp wires being twisted together between successive ones of said filler wires whereby to produce an interlocking relation for firmly tying said filler wire into said fabric, a comb assembly for guidably receiving and holding said finer wires, a row of rotatable quills formed with substantially diametrically opposed coaxial guideways for feeding said pairs of Warp wiresabo-ut said filler wires and rotatable to produce said in-- tel-locking "twists, the combination therewith of means for enlarging the size of the shed into which said filler wire is introduced, said means comp-rising forming a portion of each of said guideways on said quills of a depth less than the diameter of said filler wire, a coil of spring steel wire embracingly received about said quill in the area of said shallow guide portions in contact with said warp wires for producing a predetermined refined resistance to the passage of said warp wires along said guideways, and means for applying a predetermined pull-away force to said fabric as the same is drawn away from said comb assembly, said arrangement of tensioning means resulting in a firm consistent tie when said quills are rotated by permitting of the movement of said warp wires from the noses of the quills without appreciably distorting the shape of the shed defining portion whenthe cloth is advanced preparatory to the introduction of an additional filler wire. I

8. In a wire fabric weaving machine wherein a rotatable quill is arranged to cooperate with a comb assembly for feeding pairs of warp wires about a filler wire of elongated cross-section held at an angle to the plane of the fabric and wherein said warp wires pass off of the forward nose of said quill at diametrically opposed points and extend to an interlocking twist thus defining a shed composed of a pair of elbow-like portions adjacent the points of discharge connected by shed portions to said interlocking twist, said arrangement being particularly characterized by the formation of said guide portions of a depth less than the diameter of said warp wires, a coil of spring steel wire embraceably received about said quill in the area of said shallow portions in contact with said warp wires producing a refined degree of resistance to the passage of said warp I Wires from the forward end of said quill, means for applying a predetermined pull-away force to said fabric as it is drawn away from said machine, said comb assembly adapted to be advanced to control the forward movement of the fabric subsequent to the rotation of said quill to produce interlocking twist between said warp wires, said arrangement of tensioning means resulting in a firm consistent tie when said rotation of said quill takes place, however permitting the with drawal of the warp wires from the forward nose of said quill when said comb assembly is moved STANLEY "JOHNSON. 

